Let's Talk...But Not About Turkey!

Let’s talk turkey…. Just kidding, let’s talk anything but turkey. By now you are overwhelmed by turkey day leftovers, which find their way into just about every dish this time of year. There’s turkey chili, turkey tacos, turkey tamales. I’m waiting for someone to develop a recipe for turkey pancakes. So, let’s get off the turkey trot and dance to another tune. I’m talking BBQ. I know its winter for most of us, there’s snow on the ground for some and few leaves left on the trees. That’s why I am suggesting we bring a bit of BBQ into the kitchen to brighten up these shorter days and longer nights.

During the winter months we tend to stew and braise; and there’s nothing wrong with that. I love a great beef stew with chunks of beef chuck or slow braised lamb shanks whose fat melts into the sauce and the meat luxuriously falls off the bone. But it’s during these cold winter days ahead that a touch of summer can enliven our kitchen and our mood. No need to ignore some great cuts of meat that we generally grill or slather in BBQ sauce, just because the grill is covered and the basting brush is hibernating. Here are a couple of my favorite indoor BBQ dishes; feel free to slip on a pair of flip flops, pour a glass of lemonade and get your grill on.

Brisket is everyone’s favorite holiday dish evoking memories of grandma, glazed carrots and Lipton onion soup. Well, I like to take brisket to another level and bring out its natural juiciness by bathing it in a spicy barbecue sauce. This is a perfect dish for a game day Sunday for a large crowd, as the brisket can be pulled apart and served up sloppy joe style on soft rolls. I’ve taken the shredded meat and used it to stuff dumplings, or tossed it with pasta for a barbecue brisket ragu. It starts off the night before with a gentle rub and then slow cooks all day long. It’s the perfect antidote to typical braised brisket without losing any of the wonderful texture and flavor that we look to brisket for. I’m a 2nd cut fan, in love with the fatty cap that helps lubricate the meat while it slowly cooks, but you can certainly buy first cut if lean is your thing. You sacrifice a little moistness, but it’s your call.

BBQ Brisket recipeTeriyaki Glazed Should Lamb Chops. Often overlooked because they look less pretty than rib lamb chops, these shoulder chops make a great presentation when grilled. Because they come from the shoulder they are less tender, and need to marinate, but are well suited to grilling or broiling. Save your expensive rib chops for fancy schmancy company and serve these indoor grilled teriyaki shoulder chops for a terrific weeknight meal.

Korean Kalbi Ribs. Nothing says summer like ribs, whether you choose those mammoth ribs from the standing rib roast section of the animal, or meaty flanken (short ribs). Here’s a quick rib recipe, which brightens up a cold winter’s day. Bring a touch of Asian spice to the table with a cabbage slaw, or hot bowl of miso soup. If you have a ribbed grill pan or indoor grill, that’s great, if not, your broiler will do just fine.

The trick to getting these just right is having your butcher cut the ribs very thin. You’ll want to choose flanken from the chuck and have them cut 1/2-1/4-inch thick.